Fighting for Life
by bricann
Summary: SEQUEL to Not the Same - Yusei... trapped with the young Ayumi Furukawa in a world with dangers beyond the imagination. Dangers that are there to ensure they die and do not return to the land of the living. And those chasing them are not the only ones wanting to kill them. No, the trials of a mountain that will decide whether they live or die. (Co-written with ThePegasusDevice)
1. Just the Start

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

 **bricann: Hey, guys! As I said in Not the Same: Adding On, I would try to get a sequel to the Not the Same stories out here. And I did thanks to the help of ThePegasusDevice! I know I was kind of mean at the ending of the last story, so we're going to work together to try my best to make it up through this story.**

 **ThePegasusDevice: We're not going to give any hints as how it'll end, as even** _ **we're**_ **not entirely certain at the moment of how it'll end. :D**

 **bricann: But if you haven't read the first two stories known as Not the Same (the second being a continuation of the first), I suggest you read those before this. Or else you'll be very confused as to how Yusei got himself into this situation and so on.**

 **ThePegasusDevice: And please do not read the first and then skip to the most recently put up chapter or final chapter, please and thank you.**

 **bricann: Yes, we know some of you do that. I can guarantee you, you won't understand what exactly happened between them if you do that. Just as if you don't read the Not the Same stories first. So do us a favor please and read through this whole thing. You'll be thankful for it in the end, trust us. And we've worked really hard on this, so see all we've worked on from beginning all the way through to the end, please! For now, though, let's get to the story so we can finish this for good!**

Chapter 1: Just the Start

It had been three days since Yusei came out of surgery and he still hadn't woken up in the hospital. His friends were worried, but at least his heartbeat was still there meaning he was still alive.

At the moment, Akiza, Jack, the twins, and Crow were sitting in his hospital room silently. They came here every day. They looked at Yusei, his face showing peace as he slept.

"Will Yusei… ever wake up?" Luna asked quietly, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Just give him time, Luna," Akiza told her. "He'll wake up, I'm sure."

"Will he be okay when he wakes up, though?" Leo asked.

"Of course, Leo," Crow assured.

. . .

Yusei and Ayumi walked through the streets of a devoid New Domino, looking for something to tell them how to leave this strange realm. It had only been three hours, but it somewhat felt longer than that.

"Hey, Yusei, think we could take a rest?" Ayumi asked. "My legs are getting a bit tired."

"Of course," he agreed.

They looked, however, as they heard a growling like sound in the distance and thunder began to crash. Yusei hurried her into an unlocked shop and shut the door behind them. He hurried her behind an aisle shelf and he crouched next to her as the growling got closer.

"The gods aren't happy we're trying to find a way to live on, are they?" Ayumi asked in less than a whisper.

"I don't think so," Yusei answered in the same resonance.

He looked around the corner of the shelves a bit and noticed demon like dogs walking through the streets, with angelic looking creatures not too far behind. _'No doubt looking for us,'_ he thought. He noticed one of the dogs pause for a second and immediately hid behind the shelf again before it could notice him.

They hid there for a few minutes before the growling got quieter… quieter… and then an appreciated silence reigned. They stayed silent and unmoving for a couple more minutes before Yusei looked to see the creatures gone.

"Yusei, are those creatures here to make sure we stay dead?" Ayumi asked.

"Probably," Yusei answered honestly. "But if we can stay away from them or stop them, we will survive. Because we will both make it to the real world, I promise."

"Okay, Yusei," she agreed.

"Let's take a small rest here for a bit more until we know those creatures aren't coming back, alright, Ayumi?" he suggested. She gave a small nod. She looked and noticed a pack of water bottles filled with water to the side. "Thirsty?" She gave a small nod. "Same. I honestly never thought you could get thirsty or hungry anywhere after you died." She nodded slowly. Yusei stood up and grabbed a couple from the box. "Here."

She grabbed the bottle being handed out to her and they both checked to make sure it wasn't poisoned or seemed like it would be at all. Once they found it was clear, they took a couple drinks of it, Ayumi seeming relieved.

Slowly, the young girl asked, "Where are we going to go, Yusei?"

"Maybe if we find a way out of the city, we can find a place where it'll tell us how to leave this place," he suggested.

"But… with those things out there?" she questioned nervously.

"I know," he replied, "but we won't get anywhere staying here. And we don't know how long we have until the gods finish making their decision on where we go."

"Right," she agreed.

Yusei noticed a couple backpacks as this was a department store that held just about everything apparently. He grabbed one for Ayumi and grabbed one for him. "Let's get some food and water in these so we can take some for our trip."

Ayumi nodded and they grabbed what they could carry but wouldn't weigh them down too much. They grabbed a couple extra water bottles as well. With that done, Yusei checked around the corner of the aisle and saw nothing. They went to the door and Yusei looked around for the creatures, but still saw nothing.

"Come on," Yusei gently called to Ayumi and they walked out. "We just need to make it out of the city."

"And if those things follow us?" she asked nervously.

"I'll do what I have to to keep you safe and alive until we find a way to return to our friends and family," Yusei vowed. That's when he found her wrapping her arms around his waist, being so small, tight. "It's okay." He picked her up into his arms and told her, "It's been a long day for you. Go ahead and get some sleep for now. I'll wake you up when we reach the edge of the city, alright?" She gave him a worried look. "It'll be fine."

Ayumi gave a small, tired smile before leaning her head down against his shoulder. "Okay, Daddy," she whispered, obviously already half asleep before she actually fell asleep.

Yusei was both touched and felt awkward as she called him her father, but now really wasn't the time to question it. Once they were out of the city, he could ask her about her life and why she seemed to so easily accept him as a father figure.

' _Alright, I definitely need to be careful now,'_ Yusei thought. _'I'll take the back alleyways for now.'_ He then turned to head in that direction.


	2. A Dreamscape

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 2: A Dreamscape

Yusei walked around the back alleyways for a bit, but paused as he heard a familiar growling sound coming from the next exit. He hid behind a trash can, keeping Ayumi in his arms and she stayed asleep much to his relief. He looked around the corner to see one of the demon dogs walking passed the exit.

He didn't move a muscle and Ayumi was sleeping without a sound at all. The dog paused and Yusei hid his head again. The dog growled a bit and he noticed the dog's faint shadow closing in.

"Over here!" called a voice that echoed with power. The dog turned and ran off in the opposite direction, making Yusei relieved.

Yusei turned, however, as a man who seemed in league with the angelic creatures landed in front of him. The Signer stood, preparing to dart away.

"Wait!" the man called.

"What do you want?" Yusei asked.

"The Crimson Dragon acknowledges your bravery and your will to make your friends stay happy. And that includes the child you hold, Ayumi Furukawa. The demon dogs, the Spezuns, here are the only ones wishing you to stay in death," the angel before him stated. "The angels, or better known as Chasans, belonging to the Crimson Dragon, are under his orders to protect you here and there in order for you to reach the mountain that will take you to your home. But there are many dangers that lie ahead, dangers that you and Ayumi will have to face alone."

"What mountain and what dangers?" Yusei asked.

"The Mountain of Fate," the angel answered. "Or better known as Mount Fujiyama in your current day. In the mountain, you will face trials with Ayumi that will decide whether you will live or head to your designated afterlife worlds. And this has only been succeeded upon once before, many millennia ago. If you two can manage to prove yourselves worthy of life again, it'll be a miracle."

"How will we even pass these trials?" Yusei asked. "If they're as dangerous as you say, how will we protect ourselves?"

"This world, Yusei, lies in your and Ayumi's furthest parts of your subconscious where your spirits are still connected to your bodies but are preparing to leave to the afterlife," the angel continued. "If you are even to leave this city, you must use your combined power to force yourself out of the city and open the path to the Mountain of Fate. Added, since this is a part of your minds, you can bring whatever you need at the time into this reality to protect yourself. Whether it be a sword or a force field or even Duel Monster, it is all possible as long as you put your energy into it. Beware, Yusei, the more energy you use to create these things only adds to the energy you do not have. If you use too much energy and you run out of it, you will die."

"I'll let Ayumi know when she wakes up," Yusei responded. "And you'd better be telling the truth."

"As a servant to the Crimson Dragon, I must always speak the truth," the angel responded. "Now, hurry to the edge of the City leading out. Before the Spezuns find you again." He then flew off with that.

Yusei got up and stayed still for a moment. But that was the best he was going to get as a lead in this godforsaken world. So, he had to head that way. He walked to the exit of the alleyway and looked around for any of those "Spezuns" as the angel, or "Chasans", called them. When he saw it was clear, he hurried out of the alley and began to silently run through the clear streets.

Yusei went on for a while before he found himself at the edge of the city. He touched the border and found a force field blocking the exit to the city. He gently woke Ayumi up and she looked at him, seeming a bit groggy.

"We're at the edge of town," Yusei told her as he gently set her back on the ground. "But I need your help with something."

"What?" she asked a bit confused.

"One of those angel creatures apparently called Chasans met me while you were asleep, actually saved us from an approaching Spezun as he called it," Yusei began and that shocked her. "The Crimson Dragon wants us to get to Mount Fujiyama. They know it as the Mountain of Fate. According to the angel, he says that when we go there, we'll both be put through trials. If we pass these trials, we should be able to return to our living friends and family. If we fail, we'll die and head to the afterlife."

"But Mount Fujiyama is so far away!" she responded seeming worried. "And how will we even pass the trials?"

"According to the Chasan, this world is kind of between our subconscious and the afterlife. Like a dreamscape, I guess," Yusei explained. "As such, if we focus our energy, we can create anything we want. However, if we use too much and run out of energy, we die. So we'll have to be careful." He touched the wall again, making it ripple a bit. "Now, that being said, our only way of leaving the city and getting to Mount Fujiyama is to try to combine our energy in a way and break the barrier."

"And how do we do that?" she asked.

"I guess we just focus," Yusei suggested. "But I'm honestly not entirely sure." They both placed their hands on the barriers when they heard angry barking and looked to see the Spezuns in the distance hurrying towards them. "Ayumi, focus. Alright?"

The young girl gave a small nod and they both closed their eyes. They focused long and hard, and just as it seemed like the Spezuns were on top of them, the barrier shatter throwing them back a bit from the blast and the Spezuns behind them a good distance.

Yusei immediately helped Ayumi up and they ran into the new path available to them, their goal in mind.


	3. The Embodiment of Death

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 3: The Embodiment of Death

They walked for another four hours and the sky had begun to clear a bit, revealing a sky clear of any smog or any pollution that would usually hide the millions of stars.

"Why don't we take a rest for the night?" Yusei suggested as they got to a certain point.

"Okay," she agreed.

They sat down on the ground and Ayumi shivered a bit as a cold wind blew. Yusei decided to try what the Chasan told him they could do. He focused on making a small fire and he was a bit surprised when one appeared fairly close in front of them, but not too close. Ayumi smiled at Yusei in thanks before scooting a bit closer to the fire to get as much warmth as possible.

"It's late. Why don't you try to get some more sleep and I'll stay up to watch for a bit?" Yusei suggested to the young girl.

Ayumi got up and laid down with her head on his lap. Yusei tensed for a bit but gently set a hand on her side. She gave a sleepy smile before falling asleep. The Signer scanned the area before glancing at his right arm, where his mark should be. He carefully took his arm off the child and slid down his glove to his wrist and his jacket sleeve to his elbow. He sighed in somewhat of a relief to see his mark still there.

' _Please, let me and Ayumi return to our friends and family in the land of the living,'_ Yusei thought as he looked back at the peaceful, sleeping face of the young child at his side. _'For her sake, especially.'_ He then remembered her calling him her father. _'I wonder what happened with her father that made her call me that so easily. Maybe I just remind her of him. I'll ask tomorrow.'_

However, Yusei grew alert when he heard a branch snap, but nothing showed. He scanned the area slowly, looking for any sign that anyone or anything was around. But there was nothing. Not even a shadow.

"Who's there?" he called, somewhat quietly as to not wake Ayumi up.

"No one and everyone," came a voice that echoed.

"Come out," Yusei ordered, relieved to find Ayumi was still in a deep sleep. A mist like force appeared and formed together to create a man. He wore a grey t-shirt and black pants with black dress shoes. He also had grey eyes and black hair. "Who are you?"

"I am everyone who has passed on," he answered as he transformed into another man. Then a woman. And then into Doctor Fudo. He then went back to his original form. "I am the embodiment of death and the one who speaks to those like you. The ones who try to fight their death. You could call me a Yomi God."

"It's not so much I'm fighting my death," he responded and looked at Ayumi.

"Ah yes, little Ayumi Furukawa," the man stated. "She was supposed to die long after now. However, everyone's death is sometimes even beyond my control. Including yours and Ayumi's."

"If anyone survives this, it'll be her. If I can't go back to my friends, no matter how much I wish I can so they can stay happy, then my last job as a living being even in this world is to get Ayumi back to reality safe and alive," Yusei responded.

"I must admit, your spirit is so much more brave, noble, and selfless than any of those I have sensed before," the man responded. "It is no wonder why the Crimson Dragon wishes for you to live on. And he also wishes for Ayumi to live on as well, to be honest."

"So since you're here, what're you going to do exactly?" Yusei asked, preparing to pick Ayumi up and run.

"Oh, Yusei, you presume I am here to stop you from reaching the Mountain of Fate, do you?" the man responded. "When you broke through that barrier, that makes you impossible from being destroyed except by the dangers that await you on your way and in the Mountain of Fate. And by my agreement with the Crimson Dragon, I cannot be one of the dangers you shall face." Yusei glared in warning, but was a bit shocked. In a flash second, the man's face was mere inches from the Signer's. "Oh, dear, Yusei, these trials will be more than testing your physical strength. It'll test your mind's strength and you overcoming demons you will never have acknowledged until now. And with how young Ayumi is, do you think she'll be able to overcome them without going insane first?"

"She's strong," Yusei replied confidently. "She'll make it and survive. I promise you that."

"We will see, won't we, Yusei Fudo?" he responded before vanishing in a mist floating towards the sky.


	4. Parents

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 4: Parents

Yusei stayed awake for the rest of the night, allowing Ayumi to sleep. He could function fine with little sleep. He wasn't sure about Ayumi, but with her age, he doubted it. Eventually, the sun began to rise. Yusei took down the fire since the sun was beginning to warm the air quite quickly. As the sun began to shine in Ayumi's face, she slowly began to wake up.

She looked around a bit, still seeming groggy, before she looked at Yusei. "Daddy…" she muttered. Yusei set a caring hand on her back and helped her sit up.

"Good morning, Ayumi," Yusei greeted. She smiled at him. "Feeling awake?" She gave a small nod. "Good. We'd better get moving then."

"Right!" she agreed happily.

They grabbed their stuff and stood up. They walked for a half an hour before Yusei asked the question that had been bothering him for a while. "Ayumi," she looked at him, "why did you call me 'Daddy'? What about your father back in reality?"

Ayumi looked down and came to a stop, making Yusei follow. "When I was four years old, he died in a car crash." That shocked Yusei and he kneeled down to her eye level. "My mom wasn't the same after he died. She zoned out a lot and I usually had to take care of myself. You… remind me a lot of my dad. I guess I just saw you as him and called you him out of impulse. Do you not like it?"

"It's not that I don't like it. It's actually kind of touching. I understand what it's like to lose at least one of your parents," Yusei replied. She looked at him a bit hopeful. "I lost both of my parents during an explosion a year after I was born. But I had a foster mother who took care of me and raised me. And now I'm who I am today because of everything that's happened." He inwardly sighed. "If you want to call me your father for while we're here, you can. I understand why you would." She smiled and hugged him.

"Thank you… Daddy," she whispered, relief in her voice.

Yusei hugged her back. "Of course, Ayumi." They pulled apart and Yusei reached into his bag and pulled out a couple oranges. "It's not much, but it should hold onto you until we need to rest again." He carefully peeled his orange and began to eat it. But when he turned and looked at Ayumi, he noticed she was struggling to peel her own fruit. He grinned a bit and said as he set his orange on his lap. "Here, let me help." She handed it over and he peeled the orange easily. He then handed it back.

"Thanks," she responded. "How did you do that so easily?"

"Comes with practice," he answered.

Ayumi took a few slices and ate them. Yusei grinned before turning to finish his orange. Suddenly, though, Yusei felt a bit of orange juice spray in his face. Ayumi giggled a bit as he wiped it off. He looked at her with a small grin. She seemed to have taken a bite of a slice when it spray.

"Thanks for that," he told her jokingly.

Ayumi laughed a bit. "You're welcome!"

Yusei sighed, keeping his grin, and shook his head. "Alright," he responded, looking at her. "Let's finish breakfast and then we need to get moving. Sound good?" She nodded and laughed and they continued their small meal. After a bit, they finished and Yusei gathered their stuff, placing Ayumi's bag on her. "You ready to go?" She nodded and grabbed his hand and they walked away along the path, towards the mountain which would decide their fate.


	5. River Rush

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 5: River Rush

They walked along the path for a good five hours, talking about things here and there. Yusei was mainly trying to keep Ayumi's spirits up and her staying strong. However, it wasn't long before their path was intercepted by a vast river with a swift current. They looked around for a bridge for them to cross, only to find a cluster of rocks that could potentially be used to cross. Yusei looked at Ayumi's exhausted form, and declared it break time.

They sat themselves down under the shade of a tree, and Yusei rummaged through his bag again, bringing out a few granola bars and bottles of purified water. With a sigh, Ayumi took the offered food and stated, "After this experience, I never want to walk again."

Yusei gave a breathless laugh before tearing into his granola bar, and opened her bottle of water when he saw she was having trouble with the cap. "Remember not to drink it too quickly, or else you'll get a bit sick. Same goes with the granola bar," he warned the girl.

"I won't, Daddy," she promised with a cheeky smile.

Yusei smiled at her, and they both proceeded to enjoy this moment of peace while it lasted. All that mattered was them, their food, their shade, the nice breeze, and the sounds of the river babbling. Yusei could honestly say that he was close to taking a nap when he heard it: the sharp barks of the Spezuns in the distance.

With a quick, silent curse, he pulled Ayumi to her feet, and led them to the line of stones in the river. Yusei pushed Ayumi in front of him as they skipped from rock to rock.

The rocks were slick from the river and algae growing on it, making their hasty retreat even more difficult. Yusei and Ayumi were constantly slipping on the rocks, if only bit a few centimeters, but neither had yet. Of course, this train of thought was jinxed when Ayumi's foot slid out from under her, her body harshly hitting the rock as she fell into the rushing water.

"Ayumi!" Yusei shouted in alarm.

The teen shot over to the stone she was nearest to, braced himself, and quickly snatched her from the cool water. She began shivering and coughing up water once she was above the surface, and Yusei secured her against his chest, holding her closely. Double checking that the girl was safely in his grasp, he began leaping from rock to rock, as quickly as he could. With his adrenaline rush at an all time high, they quickly made it across the river.

Yusei was soon sprinting across the path. This was a serious live or die moment. He had to lose them somehow, someway. He tried to run faster when he heard the snarls of the Spezuns closing in on them. He needed to figure something out. _Now_.

Yusei risked a glance behind his shoulder to see how close the demonic dogs were to them, and if there was anything he could use to lose them. A twig snapped behind them, and he was struck with an idea. _'If this doesn't work… It will work, it has to!'_ Yusei thought.

Focusing on a tree in front of him, he felt his powers rise. As luck would never cease for him, as soon as he passed it, he knocked it down. The downed tree crushed a handful of the Spezuns. And thankfully, it successfully scared away the others with the unexpected loud noise and deaths of their comrades.

With a breath of relief, Yusei slowed his pace. He quickly turned and focused on finding a place to warm up the poor girl in his arms before she caught a cold. He walked around a bit before he soon found a pile of rocks with an opening in the forest. With it all in place, he started a fire. He brought out some food, gave her some dry clothes and his jacket, and told her to stick to the fire.

Yusei sat down by her and kept her against him, though she initiated that herself a bit. The elder man spent that night tending to the fire and holding her close to keep her warm. He didn't want her to get sick here. He didn't want to know what would happen to her real body if she got sick here. And if she did, he knew he had to find a way to help her fast.


	6. Fine Does Not Equal Fine

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 6: Fine Does Not Equal Fine

When morning came, Yusei was woken by a mix of the harsh sunlight in his face and Ayumi's light coughs. He wiped a hand down his face, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and accepting that it was time to get up. Carefully untangling Ayumi's limbs from his body-taking extra care so that she wouldn't wake up- he slowly got up and silently stood up so he could stretch. With a deep breath, Yusei tried to make a plan for the day.

First of all, they would have to continue moving, else risk the Spezuns catching up to them and keeping them in the afterlife forever. However, Ayumi would need time to recover from her plunge in the river, and he didn't know how badly it had impacted her body. Judging from her unconscious coughs this morning, he had a bad feeling.

Yusei sighed as he realized that the only way to find out how the day would go would be to experience it. The only thing he could do now is prepare for the worst, but expect the best (which was highly unlikely with his luck). With a deep breath, he steeled himself for the day ahead, and decided to face the more immediate future of breakfast.

He stepped into the makeshift cave they had taken cover in, and rummaged through his bag for a decent breakfast. Grabbing a few granola bars again, water, and an orange for Ayumi. Biting into his own cereal bar, he awaited Sleeping Beauty's inevitable awakening. In the meantime, he registered every cough and tremor her slumbering body with a frown.

After twenty minutes, Ayumi woke up and Yusei began peeling the orange for her. She blearily blinked at the orange he presented to her, still trying to register that it was time to wake up. However, as she started to eat a few slices of the fruit, she steadily became more aware.

"Morning," the older teen greeted when she looked awake enough.

"Good morning, Da-" she went to reciprocate his greeting, but was swiftly interrupted by a cough.

With a deep frown on his face, Yusei asked, "Are you feeling okay, Ayumi?"

Putting a small smile on her face, she tried to reassure her newfound father figure, "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Yusei was unconvinced, but let it slide just this once. He moved onto another pressing topic, "We should probably get some more distance between us and the Spezuns, but if we stick this path it should have enough cover for us to be able to take it slower if we need to."

"Alright, that sounds good," the seven year old agreed, finishing her granola bar and chugging the rest of her water. "Let's go."

. . .

The path was indeed the best spot for them to travel on. Not only did it provide them plenty of potential falling trees to use against the Spezuns, but it also provided plenty of shade from the sun and nice resting spots that they seemed to be needing more and more frequently. Or at least, Ayumi needed them more.

As they kept walking, Ayumi's face became paler, her breaths came out as pants, and her coughing became frequent and rattled in her chest. This greatly concerned Yusei, and he began hovering closer around her. It annoyed Ayumi a bit, but she was more preoccupied with just putting one foot in front of the other. And in the end, Yusei's hovering payed off when Ayumi unexpectedly collapsed, and he quickly lunged forward to catch her.

"Ayumi!" he called, trying to check if she was conscious.

She was barely awake, and her skin felt too hot for her not to be sick. He picked her up carried her bridal style to the nearest group of trees, and set up camp for the night. It seems the worse has happened.


	7. A Lucky Guess

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 7: A Lucky Guess

It was the next day, and Yusei hadn't slept at all. He had been tending to Ayumi the entire time. Thankful to him, his sickness medical experience he got from Martha when he was younger was helping him with the young child. She just seemed to be getting worse.

There was thunder in the air as dark clouds came rolling over. He waited for the rain for a couple hours, but it never came. He had less than a day trek until they arrived at Mount Fuji. But Ayumi wouldn't be able to walk on her own easily at all. She could barely wake up at the moment. She needed the sleep bad, but they needed to move.

Those dark clouds and thunder without rain… it had to mean the gods were probably getting ready to make a choice of their own. Yusei looked at Ayumi with a worried face. _'We can't just sit here. Especially with the Spezuns after us.'_ He put both of their bags on his shoulders and carefully picked up the girl without waking her, whispering, "Come on, Ayumi. It's time to move." She groaned a bit, but didn't wake up.

He walked for a few hours, adjusting his arms here and there. She felt so warm, and it worried him more and more. Especially when the time of her being like this only lengthened. It was getting to around noon and he knew Ayumi would be getting hungry, and she really needed some food to help her with this. He looked forward and was relieved to see Mount Fuji was actually in sight and about a four hours walk away.

He walked for another thirty minutes before he decided to take a small break, both for Ayumi and his arms. He sat down and created a small fire again as well as a blanket. He laid Ayumi against him, her head on his thigh for a pillow just as she did before. He then set the blanket over her. He looked at her with worried. She needed food and water, but there was no way she was waking up anytime soon. And just that final fact worried him even more.

' _I have to try,'_ Yusei thought. He gently shook her and called her name.

She slowly began to wake up, groggily whispering, "Daddy…?" Once she was more awake, she realized they were in the same spot as before and how close the Mountain of Fate was. "What happened?"

"You couldn't wake up before, not that I really tried to with how sick you are," he replied and she coughed again. "So I carried you for a few hours. We just arrived here. I woke you up this time because you need food and water."

"I'm not very hungry," Ayumi responded sleepily.

"You need food to fight this illness, Ayumi," Yusei retorted. He carefully pulled out an apple and used his powers to cut it into slices. He handed her the slices and said, "Eat some of these. You need them." She slowly sat up and began to eat the fruit, seeming to feel a bit better now that she had food in her stomach, but it was barely. "You're side okay after that hit to it at the river?"

Ayumi nodded. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Let me know if it ever does," Yusei responded. He grabbed the final water bottle she had, as she finished her apple. "Drink this slowly, alright?" She nodded and took a few sips before coughing a bit.

After a bit, Yusei allowed her to sleep a bit more. He worriedly whispered to himself, "If this keeps up, you won't be able to complete the trials. I need to find some way to get you better and fast." He then remember something…

 **-Flashback-**

Yusei was in the alleyway, holding Ayumi, while the Chasan said, "Added, since this is a part of your minds, you can bring whatever you need at the time into this reality to protect yourself. Whether it be a sword or a force field or even Duel Monster, it is all possible as long as you put your energy into it."

 **-Flashback Ended-**

' _I can make Duel Monsters cards become physical!'_ Yusei realized. _'And there's two cards I know that'll really help her. I'll do the one that'll be easiest for her, though.'_ He slowly focused before calling for a physical form style of the Goblin's Secret Remedy in his hand. It was a two leafed plat with a few blue berries on its leaves. He looked at Ayumi and sighed. _'She can eat this, though. But I know what I can do…'_

He called for a teapot that had some water in it and grabbed a thick tree branch. He put the teapot of water in the fire and let it boil. Once it was done boiling, he used the stick to bring the pot out. He carefully put the special remedy herbs that he had created into the pot and let it soak. He was glad Martha had decided to teach her orphans to make all simple recipes, including tea. It really prepared him for this, not that he was ever expecting this to happen.

After a few second, the tea started glowing a bit, letting him know that the powers of the spell card had been transferred to the water. He took an empty water bottle of her that she kept and poured some of the tea in there. It was hot at first, so he let it cool a bit before he woke Ayumi up.

Luckily, though, it didn't take long to cool enough and it still glowed to show the spell was still strong. He carefully woke Ayumi up. She looked at the drink unsure.

"I made this tea from a Duel Monsters' spell card that I summoned. It should help you," he told her. "Drink it, alright?" She nodded and took it. She slowly drank it, bit by bit. When she hit halfway of the bottle, she seemed tired again.

"Good ahead and get more sleep," Yusei told her taking the bottle. "We can keep this until you wake up and it'll help." She nodded and fell back asleep. Yusei felt her forehead and was actually a bit shocked to feel it had gone down in temperature and back towards normal significantly. He sighed with relief. She was going to be okay…


	8. Mountain of Fate's Guardian

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 8: Mountain of Fate's Guardian

When Ayumi woke back up the next morning, Yusei had her drink more of the tea to ensure she would be making the best recovery and she actually seemed a lot better. She still seemed a bit tired, but that was no doubt from her just waking up.

Yusei slowly told her, "We'll take it slow for the rest of the way, alright?" Ayumi nodded. "Can you promise me something, Ayumi?"

"Yes, Daddy," she responded.

"Until we know you're back to full health, I need you to promise me that you'll tell me when you need a break," Yusei requested. She was obviously getting ready to argue, so he said, "If you're not in top shape, you'll probably end up in trouble during these trials we'll face in that Mountain of Fate. And depending on what happens, I may not be there to help you immediately. So you need to be as healthy as you can get. So promise me you'll let me know if you need a break at all."

"I promise, Daddy," she vowed.

"Good," he responded. "Now why don't we get going? We only have a few hours before we reach the mountain."

She grinned and nodded. "Let's go!"

"That's the Ayumi I know," he responded. He grabbed their stuff while Ayumi stood up. He pour some of the leftover tea in another water bottle in case they needed more and placed it in his bag. He then made all of it disappear with a thought. He could honestly feel the energy it took to make them instantly replenish in his body.

They walked for a while, Ayumi seeming to be quite strong. She had taken a couple drinks of the leftover tea she had from her original bottle and that seemed to really help. Yusei wasn't expecting for it to work so quick, but it relieved him that it did.

They soon arrived at the foot of the mountain where a dark tunnel entrance stood. There was something written next to it that they walked over to read. Yusei slowly read it aloud, " _ **When you enter this cave, there is no turning back. The gate will close and you must know: If you wish to survive, you must prevail. If you fall to the Mountain's attacks, you have failed.**_ "

"What… trials do you think we'll face? And why did it call them 'the Mountain's attacks'?" Ayumi asked seeming nervous.

"I don't know, Ayumi," Yusei replied. He kneeled to her eye level. "But no matter what happens in there, I will still be beside you. When it is by a physical standpoint or I'll be by you in spirit. So don't worry. We will see each other again. I promise." She reached over and hugged him tight, seeming scared.

"Don't leave me, Daddy," she told him.

"I'll always be by your side, Ayumi. No matter what it seems like by sight, I'll always be by your side," he assured.

"Oh, what a touching little sight that is," came a voice familiar to Yusei.

They flipped towards the entrance and Yusei glared as he saw the Yomi God he had met. It seemed like such a long time ago. In fact, these four days he took travelling here with Ayumi seemed so much longer. And he didn't really know why. But the Yomi God in front of him was his main concern at the moment. Yusei gently brought Ayumi behind him.

"What do you want, Yomi God?" Yusei asked.

"Why, I guess you could say, I'm here to congratulate you on making it to the Mountain of Fate," the Yomi God replied. "After all, I know little Ayumi over there behind you nearly perished before you healed her. Oh, I was so close to having her added to my collection." Ayumi whimpered a bit and Yusei made sure he kept her behind him and nowhere near the ability for the god in front of him to touch her. "No matter, it won't be long before you're both added to my collection. After all, only one other human made it and passed the trials here. All others have failed and been added to the afterlife. And I have no doubt you'll be added to that long list." He laughed.

"No, we won't. We'll both survive this," Yusei retorted. "Especially Ayumi."

"That's what they all said: 'I'll survive this' or 'We'll survive this', depending on the circumstances. And yet, out of all the thousands who have said this," The Yomi God sped forward and neared his face to Yusei's glaring one, "only one has succeeded. What makes you think you'll have better luck? These trials are perilous. They'll put you everything about you to the test, your physical attributes, your emotions, and your mental strength. You'll face your deepest darkest fears, maybe some you haven't even known about yet." He laughed.

"Why are you really here?" Yusei asked tense as he backed him and Ayumi up and away from the death god.

"Perceptive, aren't you, Yusei Fudo?" Yomi God replied. "Just like your," He changed to looking like Doctor Fudo, "father." Yusei glared in warning before the god changed back to his original form. "I am here for a very specific reason." He grew a bit maniac look. "A very deadly reason. You see, I do more than watch people die in this realm of your and watch them die in the Mountain of Fate. I am the Guardian of the Mountain of Fate, Yusei Fudo. And my job here," he grew demonic wings and he lifted himself into the air with a more demonic look to himself now, "is to kill those who are not worthy of entering the Mountain of Fate!" He flew towards them and Yusei pulled Ayumi out of the way barely avoid him. The Yomi God stepped in front of entrance. "If you wish to enter, you must prove yourself by defeating me and entering this cave." There was a thunder clash again. "Tick tock, my boy. If you don't enter this cave in five minutes, the other gods will act on their decision. And that decision equals your death!"

"Why are you doing this? I thought you promised the Crimson Dragon you wouldn't be a danger along our way to the Mountain of Fate," Yusei retorted as he dodged the god's attack again.

The Yomi God came up back in front of the cave entrance. He grinned revealed deadly sharp teeth. "'Along the way', Yusei," he stated. "'Along the way' are the key words there. You are here now, you are at the Mountain of Fate. You may not have entered it, but you _are_ here. Which means that agreement no longer means I cannot be a danger to you now." He gave a sarcastic sigh. "How long has it been since I've had a soul to take into me like this? A few centuries maybe?" Yusei glared. "Uh, too long ago to really remember." He turned to Yusei with a devious smile and Ayumi was staying hidden behind Yusei, holding his shirt tight. He created a black, throne like chair with a confident grin as he crossed his legs as another show of confidence. "Try to dethrone me, Yusei. The entrance to the Mountain of Fate is in my control; it's my kingdom, as you could say. So I dare you to try to take me off my throne and enter this gate. Come at me! I'm ready!" Yusei didn't move making him laugh. "So you really don't want to survive, after all, hm?"

Yusei focused for a second before he created Stardust Dragon in a direction that the Yomi God wasn't look, making sure the dragon didn't make a sound. The Yomi God didn't even acknowledge that it was there, he was keeping his confident smirk and his eyes fixated on Yusei. Yusei gave a mental order to his dragon and it shot a blast at the Yomi God. It took the god by surprise somehow as he was sent flying with his chair and into a tree. He seemed to be a serious daze and Yusei immediately pulled back Stardust Dragon and he pulled Ayumi to the entrance.

The Yomi God seemed to finally have come out of his daze, but it was too late. A stone wall closed between the two humans in it and him. Ayumi and Yusei sighed in relief.

They turned in alarm, however, when torches lit along the walls of the tunnel. They were on each wall, evenly spaced and each one on either side were directly across from each other. And they lit two at a time. Ayumi looked at Yusei worriedly and he gave her a reassuring face.

"It'll be fine, alright?" he told her. "Even if we ever get separated, I'll still be with you through our bonds."

"Right!" she agreed with a small smile.

"Then let's get to finding our way to the living realm," he told her. They then began to walk down the tunnel.


	9. Her First Trial

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 9: Her First Trial

They walked down the hall and Ayumi asked, "Daddy, how long do you think we've been out in the real world?"

"I'm not really sure," the appointed father figure answered. "I wish I knew. It feels a lot longer than it's been here, though."

"Do you think we'll be near each other when we wake up?" the child asked.

"If we're in the same hospital, which we would be if we've been out even for four days, we should be," he replied.

"I hope we are," she responded. "Because I want to see you in the real world, Daddy."

"We will, Ayumi," he assured as they came to a t-section. "We'll survive the trials and get out of here. Believe that, alright? And no matter what happens, stay strong and confident. You'll make it out of this, I promise."

Suddenly, there was a crumbled sound from above them, and they both were forced in separate sides as a stone wall came between them. There was a small gap in the wall for Ayumi to look through to Yusei. "Daddy!" she called seeming scared.

He looked at her. "Ayumi, listen to me, stay strong. No matter what it seems like with us separated, remember what I've been saying. Our bonds will keep us connected, even if only in spirit. I will be beside you the entire time. No matter what you'll face, I'm right there next to you, helping you stay who you are, alright? We'll meet as soon as we can; and ultimately, we'll meet in the real world. Okay?"

"O-Okay," she agreed, seeming really nervous still.

"I know you can stay strong until the end, Ayumi," Yusei told her. "You're that kind of girl. So stay that strong girl you are. Can you do that?"

She gave a determined smile and nodded. "I can, Daddy!"

"Good," he responded. "I'll see you as soon as I can, whether that's in the last trial or reality. Good luck, Ayumi."

"You too, Daddy," she said and she went in her separate direction.

Yusei watched as she disappeared around a corner. "Be careful, Ayumi," he whispered before walking in his only direction.

. . .

Ayumi came up on a spiral, stone staircase that seemed to stop at a doorway a couple staircases up. She carefully began walking up the stairs, being wary of any crumbling or slippery rocks in the steps. When she came to the door, she was panting a bit and grabbed one of the water bottles of tea Yusei had given her just before they reached the mountain. She took a couple sips before slipping them back into her bag.

Once Ayumi had regained her breath, she nervously closed her eyes and opened the door. She took a couple steps as she opened her eyes a bit. She went wide eyed in shock. She had literally stumbled upon a large, cavernous area. And when she stumbled, she stumbled, meaning she quickly had to scramble backwards; After all, the floor was nonexistent in the cavern. Catching her breath and calming her racing heartbeat, she carefully inched forward, leaned over the edge. However, she almost immediately reeled backwards when she saw that the bottom of the cliff she was on was completely made of spikes.

What a comforting sight. She took a deep breath and reminded herself of Yusei's words.

Ayumi looked around the room for a way out, and caught sight of a tunnel on the other side of the pit. _'But how am I going to get over there?'_ she thought. She searched around the rim of the cavern, and found a surprising sight: a square shaped trampoline pad was on the edge. A thought struck her, _'If I can't go down, then maybe I have to go up.'_

Her head shot up, and her eyes caught sight of a metallic monkey bar like structure hanging from the top of the cave. She pieced together the equipment she was left with, and formulated a plan. Ayumi took a centering breath, and stepped up to the trampoline pad. She was a gymnast for a couple years, so that helped with the trampoline. It was only a matter of getting the height of the monkey bars with not much of an easy runny start.

She took a few experimental hops to feel how bouncy it was, before really gaining momentum. With every jump, her height grew more and more until her eyes were nearly level with the first bar. Mid jump, she wiped her hands on her pants to make sure they wouldn't slip, and she launched her body forward, rocketing for the first bar. Hands outstretched, she caught the bar, and she swung a bit.

She readjusted her grip on the cool bars, and forced her momentum to become more controlled. With a few swinging motions, she stretched one of her arms towards the next bar, grabbed it, and quickly moved her lingering hand to the next bar. With the first bar crossed, she gave a small, triumphant grin, gaining her confidence as she reached for the next one. Then the next one, and the next one.

Ayumi gathered a steady rhythm, and before long, she was over halfway through the challenge. However, her palms were becoming slick with sweat, while her arms grew shaky. Clearly, her cold hasn't let her free from its clutches.

She knew she had to hurry this up, but she couldn't rush this, or else she'd die via impaled body. She took another steadying breath, and picked up her pace by a notch, arms becoming more and more tired as she progressed.

Ayumi had a few scares, where her arms almost did give out, but she recovered quickly, the adrenaline rush definitely helping. Finally, when she did feel as if she were about to collapse and fall to her death, she reached the last bar. She swung a bit, and launched herself forward, just to make sure she wouldn't fall into the pit. She rolled to a stop, turned onto her stomach, and tried to catch her breath, sweat rolling down her face.

After five minutes, she finally turned over and stood up. She took a couple drinks of the tea Yusei had used his own energy to make. With that clear, she walked through the tunnel to her next trial. And she was a bit concerned as to what this would be.


	10. A First Trial of Battling

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 10: A First Trial of Battling

Yusei walked through the halls until he came up on a stone spiral staircase. Some of the rocks seemed extremely old and shifty, but they were all intact for the most part. He looked back to where he said goodbye to Ayumi for the time being. He was hoping that even if he couldn't make it out of this, she would.

Yusei shook his head. Once his head was clear for the time being, he slowly began to take his steps up the staircase. When he reached the door, he felt an unsure atmosphere behind it. _'This is the first trial,'_ he thought. _'I need to be ready for anything.'_ He carefully opened the door to see something he wasn't expecting.

Yusei found himself in an arena-like room, rounded and with clear boundary lines around the room. One the wall nearest to him was a shelf of weapons, mainly the old fashioned kind such as swords, bows, and shields. On the other side of the 'arena' was a humanoid robot, seeming power down as it was slumped over with a staff laying beside it.

Yusei had a sneaking suspicion of what he would have to do for his trial as he carefully walked over to the shelf of weapons. He looked at the wide variety before him, and chose a spear and a light shield. He figured that the spear would nicely counter his enemy's staff, and the shield would offer him some protection. Taking a deep breath to prepare himself, he stepped into the ring and waited for the robot to awaken.

He didn't have to wait long before a mechanical whirr was heard, a bright blue light on its face lit up, and it swiftly picked up its staff whilst sprinting towards Yusei. The teen shamelessly gasped in alarm before he brought his spear up to stop the approaching staff. He did not correctly brace himself, though, so the force behind the blow knocked him out of the arena.

Yusei skidded on his back for a few feet, before skidding to a stop close to the weapon's shelf. He rolled onto his knees and tried to regain his breath while formulating a plan to try and beat the creature. He figured if he couldn't outspeed it, he would have to play defense and wait until he found the proper openings to strike it down. Determination bubbling inside of him, Yusei took a look at the once more powered down robot, and he maneuvered himself so he was on the opposite side of his opponent.

This time, he got into a proper stance, feet braced and spread out a bit, and shield braced against his arms. He stepped into the ring and quickly moved a few feet away from the boundary, and watched as the robot powered on, once again making its way towards him. Yusei prepared for this, and spun out of the way of the attack, and made sure to smack its head with his shield on his way past. His attack stunned it for a second, and it was enough for Yusei to swiftly bring out his spear and plunge it into its shoulder. However, when he tried to pull it out, the robotic fiend turned around to send a sweep of its staff directed towards his feet. He tried to move back, but it succeeded in swiping his feet from under him, and as he fell, it directed a violent poke towards him. It missed, however, when he rolled out of the way.

Yusei got up quickly, shield raised and ready to take an attack, which was soon met with another strike. He kept up this game of defense, but every attack left jarring vibrations going up his arms painfully. He grit his teeth and knew if this played on any longer, he would not make it past his trial. If he could somehow grab his spear, which was still stuck in the robot's shoulder, he would be in much better shape. He acted on that thought, running around the fighter, and waited until its back was to him. Then, he grasped the spear firmly and pushed forward, twisted it to maximize the damage done, and then pulled it out. Oil dripped out the wound freely now that the weapon was not blocking it, and when the robot tried to move its arm, only sparks from broken circuitry met it.

Yusei had a mini celebration dance in his mind, and quickly went for another attack, this time to a hip joint. However, his attack was quickly halted by the staff, and he was pushed back by it. It seemed that even with one arm out of commission, it still had formidable strength.

The robot pushed forward, sending swipes and thrusts of the staff towards him, but Yusei used his shield, and smaller size (for once) to dodge and weave away from his attacker, and into its blind spot. He carried out his original plan, and stuck the opposite hip joint, twisted again, and removed his weapon. His enemy nearly crumpled to the ground, as it found it was unable to support its weight on that leg. Luck was now on Yusei's side with his enemy stuck in one place, on its last leg and arm.

Yusei lunged forward, shield out in front of him, and tacked the robot to the ground. He kicked its weapon away from it, trapped its arm and leg to the ground, and raised his spear above its head.

Panting a bit, he spoke "Do you yield?" There was a tense silence before the robot powered itself off. Yusei had won.

Yusei looked as a masked person came down. They had a black cloak around their body and a hood covering the back of their head with a serious face looking mask in front of him.

In a deep baritone voice, the masked person said, "Well done, challenger. If you had gone on to kill it yourself, you wouldn't failed this challenge. By merely forcing it into submission, you have passed." A light emerged from behind the masked man and he moved out of the way to reveal a door. "Move onto your next challenge. Be warned, while this tested your physical attributes, the next trial will make you see things about yourself that you would never expect." He then disappeared and Yusei took a deep breath before slowly walking through the doorway, silently preparing himself for the next trial.


	11. Room of Reflections

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 11: Room of Reflections

Ayumi carefully stepped into the next room after her first trial. She was hoping Yusei was faring well in his trial. She didn't know what she'd do if he didn't survive this.

But most of her mind was on the room surrounding her. There were reflective gems beside her while above her were thousands of stars of all colors.

"Wow…" Ayumi whispered in amazement.

A light came in front of her that was in the shape of a person. "You have one chance, young one," came a wise, feminine voice. "You must choose the right star in order to complete and pass this trial."

"How will I choose the right one? There are so many of them," Ayumi responded.

"That, my dear, depends on you," the tiny light responded before disappearing.

Ayumi looked around when she noticed a constellation. "Sagittarius!" she exclaimed.

"So what?" came a voice similar to hers. Ayumi looked to the reflective gem to the left over here to see a reflection of her, but it seemed like it was another version of her. "What's so important about a stupid constellation?"

"Well, I had read a while ago that he was a guide to sailors, pointed their way when they needed it," Ayumi explained.

"Then what is he pointing at?" the reflection asked. Ayumi looked at where the arrow was pointing to see nothing but a small star. "Nothing, right?" Ayumi looked down in thought. "It's not the one you need. Try again."

"No," Ayumi responded. "It's pointing to that star right there."

"That little star all alone?" her reflection questioned. "It's a useless star with no place with anyone else. Just like us. It's not the one you need, is it?"

Ayumi looked down agreed. She then went wide eyed. "Just because it's alone, it doesn't mean it's useless!"

"What? Of course it does!" the reflection retorted. "It has no place, none of the others want it around them. Like us."

"Just because something is alone, it doesn't mean it's useless. Everything has a purpose, no matter what. And Daddy wants us around, or else he wouldn't be so determined to have me live on," Ayumi argued. "Nothing is useless. Ever." She pointed to the lone star. "That's the star I need!" The star came down and landed in her hand. She turned as her reflection vanished and watched as the star in her hand then flew over to a wall and created a glowing doorway.

The light person before came down. "You have completed this trial. The star being alone made all the difference," she told the young human. "You saw this and saw it in yourself. Now go to the final trial. It will test your mentality. And be careful young, Ayumi." Ayumi nodded with a small grin and walked into the light and into the next trial.

. . .

Yusei walked into cavern filled with hundreds of reflective crystals. He came to the stop in the center, seeing no exit at all. Suddenly, one of the gemstones grew and came beside him on his right side. He looked at his reflection when it grinned.

"What do you think you're doing?" it asked.

"I'm trying to survive," Yusei replied, not really caring that his reflection was talking to him. With this being the Mountain of Fate and one of his trials, he wouldn't have been too surprised.

"Do you really want to live on?" his reflection asked. "Or do you just want to have that little girl, Ayumi, live on?" Another gemstone came to his right and showed Ayumi leaving to the next room. "Look at that. Ayumi doesn't need you anymore, does she? And neither do your friends in the land of the living."

"My friends do-"

"No they don't!" his reflection cut him off. "They've been spending all this time without you. Getting closer together in your absence." Yusei looked down a bit in thought. The reflection of Yusei gave an amused scoff. "They probably won't really, honestly care if you die or not. You don't matter to the world anymore; you've saved it enough, after all. You don't really need to survive. There won't be much of a life to go back to, anyway. You know that." Yusei stayed silent for a moment and his reflection gave a smug, successful smirk.

Yusei suddenly stated, sternly, "You're wrong." His reflection gave a shocked look as the real version turned to it with a determined face. "I need to survive. My friends would care if I died because of the bonds we have to each other. And I know Ayumi needs me for the final trial and I promised her I would see her in reality. I still have things I have to do, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time. I want to live on. For my sake as well as the others."

He noticed a light emanate from his heart and his reflection disappeared. The light show forward towards a wall. When it hit, a brightly lit doorway was revealed in it. Yusei took a deep breath before walking into the next trial room.


	12. Trial of Mentality

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 12: Trial of Mentality

Yusei found himself in cavern with a door on the far side. He walked over to it and tried to open it, but it was practically a decoration. He looked above it to see a stone tablet like plate, but it was blank. He began to see if there was another way out, but there was no sign of any sort of escape route.

"Okay, Mountain of Fate, what do you have for me next?" Yusei commented, mostly to himself.

He turned however as a message began to be written on the tablet: " _ **I can make you successful, or make you a failure. I am totally at your command. Tell me what you want to change about you and I will do it automatically. Be easy with me and I'll destroy you. What am I?**_ "

' _A riddle?'_ Yusei thought. _'This has to be a test on my mentality, both in skill and facing something I didn't realize may be a weakness of mine.'_

He looked over and read the riddle again. "A choice can make you successful or make you a failure and we command that choice. But it's usually about something else, not yourself and you don't always do it automatically." He looked at the final part. " _ **Be easy with me and I'll destroy you.**_ " He then went wide eyed in realization. "My habit to keep people's worries off of me nearly killed and is on the brink of killing me. My habit of helping people and wanting to keep them safe, nearly made it so I didn't get out of that base. And habit is a part of every bit before that. The answer… The answer is habit." The door's edges glowed for a second before slowly opening.

' _That couldn't be the real final trial,'_ Yusei thought. _'There's gotta be something beyond that door. But what?'_ He took a breath. _'Only one way to find out.'_ He slowly stepped through it.

. . .

Ayumi stepped into a room very similar to Yusei's, only there were different colored gems along the walls. The door in front of her was made of diamond that was so thick, she couldn't see through it.

Ayumi tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge even a bit. It was like a decoration or something and there was no sign of any other doors except the one she came from which was now sealed. She sighed and backed up a bit to think.

However, she flipped to a stone tablet sitting above the doorway as something was written: " _ **I am a moment never forgotten, etched within the temples of men and women. I can be attached to a smell, sound or taste, maybe even brought forth by a place. I am sometimes considered bad, it is true; As making depression is a side effect for you. However, do not fear, do not despair, there is still the good me you will love and share. What am I?**_ "

Ayumi looked at it completely confused. "' _ **I am a moment never forgotten, etched within the temples of men and women**_ '…" she repeated. "I couldn't be a thought. Those can be forgotten." She then read the next bit, "' _ **I can be attached to a smell, sound or taste, maybe even brought forth by a place**_ '…" She then began to think again, "A smell, sound, or taste can be connected to a memory." She then gasped as she read the rest again, "' _ **I am sometimes considered bad, it is true; As making depression is a side effect for you. However, do not fear, do not despair, there is still the good me you will love and share**_ '…" She went wide eyed. "My memories of my father have always brought me happiness and sadness. And I remember some of them by sound and the sound of his voice. And they can be good memories and bad ones. So the answer is memories!"

The door glowed bright, making the young girl shield her eyes, as it opened. When it dimmed enough, she brought her arms down and looked at the doorway. "Is this the last test?" she thought a bit worried. "What's the last one?" She cautiously walked through the doorway, unsure and a bit worried as to what will come.

. . .

Yusei stepped into another room similar to the last but held onyx and blue gems dotting the walls. He heard another door open and close and looked to see Ayumi stepping through.

"Ayumi!" he exclaimed.

She flipped to him and nearly immediately was smacking into him. "Daddy!" she exclaimed. Yusei kneeled down and hugged. "Daddy…"

"Are you alright?" Yusei asked.

She nodded. "Yes," she answered. She looked around. "Are we done with the trials?"

"I don't think so," Yusei answered. "I think we're about to face a final riddle."

"Hopefully it's not too hard," Ayumi responded.

They flipped to a golden glow from the stone tablet above the doorway. It dimmed to reveal another riddle and it made them sigh a bit in frustration. Yusei read it slowly, " _ **I make you weak at the worst of all time. I keep you safe, I keep you fine. I make your hands sweat, and your heart grow cold. I visit the weak, but seldom the bold. What am I?**_ "

"Daddy, what does 'seldom' mean?" Ayumi asked.

"Not often or rarely," he answered.

"So whatever the answer is, it makes you weak when it'll probably put you in danger, but keeps you safe and fine? Isn't that kind of an oxymoron or whatever it's called?" Ayumi questioned.

"Yep," Yusei answered. " _And_ it visits the weak, but not really the bold?" He looked it over. "What is it that the bold never really feel, Ayumi?"

Ayumi thought about it for a moment. "Fear, maybe? I'm not really sure." She then gasped. "When we really need courage, fear can really hit us and sometimes puts us in danger. But it protects us when it is really needed. Right, Daddy?"

"That's right," Yusei answered. "When I dueled Kalin for the first time during a Shadow Duel, my fears got the best of me and I nearly died that time."

"And I don't know a lot of times that you're really afraid by what I've seen of you," Ayumi commented.

"That's just because I'm good at keeping my emotions in check," he responded with a grin.

Ayumi laughed. "Or you're just really brave," she suggested.

"That could be another possibility," he responded. "Do we know the answer, though?" Ayumi nodded.

In unison, they said, "The answer is our fears."

The next doorway opened to reveal a blue light path heading into a dark space. Ayumi grabbed Yusei's hand in a bit of worry and he gave her a comforting grin before they both walked in it.


	13. To Wake Up

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5Ds! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!**

Chapter 13: To Wake Up

Yusei and Ayumi walked down the pathway. It seemed almost unending as they had been walking down it for at least seventeen minutes. That's when Ayumi seemed to perk up and Yusei barely noticed something in the distance.

"Hey, what's that?" she asked before beginning to run towards it.

"Ayumi, wait!" Yusei called before chasing after her, mostly in concern.

It didn't take as long as he was expecting before they reached what they had seen. It was a circular platform with giant torch towers that, if you connected the dots, would be the corners of a square.

"Yusei Fudo and Ayumi Furukawa," came a deep, wise voice. It wasn't the Yomi God's at all.

One of the flames extended and went in front of them before forming the Crimson Dragon. "The Crimson Dragon!" Yusei exclaimed.

"Hello, my Signer," he responded.

The Yomi God's laugh was heard making Ayumi get a bit frightened. They turned as he appeared from the darkness beside the Crimson Dragon. The death god stated, "Well, kiddies, you did it. Not sure how, but you did it." He crossed his arms. "Now, it's judgement time!"

"Judgement time?" Yusei questioned.

"You think you complete three trials then it's bye-bye Dreamscape and possible death, hello land of the living?" Yomi God laughed mockingly.

"Yomi God!" Crimson Dragon called sternly. The death god stopped and grew serious. The dragon sighed for a second before turning to the two humans. "After you complete the trials, you are studied by what you have learned. If you haven't really learned anything, then you would fail the final trial. The Trial of Ultimate Judgement."

"How do we prove what we've learned?" Yusei asked.

"You do not 'prove' it, my Signer," the Crimson Dragon replied. "We look within your heart and see it for ourselves."

Ayumi carefully stepped more beside Yusei, seeming to be more comfortable with the Crimson Dragon here. Suddenly, the platform split into two circles and separated from each other, Yusei on one and Ayumi on another.

"Daddy!" the seven year old girl called.

"Ayumi!" he called back.

"Ayumi, you shall be studied first," the Crimson Dragon stated.

Ayumi seemed concerned as both the Crimson Dragon and Yomi God flew down. The Yomi God touched her back with his hand making Yusei tense and worried. The Crimson Dragon placed one of his hands on her chest. Ayumi seemed to go into a trance like state.

When they pulled back, she fell to her hands and knees coughing a bit. Yusei immediately called, "Ayumi, are you alright?"

"Y… Yes," she answered, stuttering a bit between coughs.

"She has learned," the Yomi God stated.

"She has," the Crimson Dragon agreed. Ayumi then glowed before glowing and in a fraction of a second, darted into sky and disappeared. The two gods looked at Yusei who tensed. "It is your turn, Yusei." They flew over. "Calm yourself."

Yusei knew he had no choice. He took a deep breath and calmed his mind as they brought him into his trance. He began to see repeats of everything he did during his trials.

His learning that killing to escape something that'll prove your death, even if they're trying to kill you back, is never the way to go.

His learning that he always has something to do for the world, no matter what it seems like at the time. He has something he has to do.

And finally, his learning that certain habits can be dangerous. That he cannot let his fears control him and his decisions.

Everything he learned he knew was going to stay with him forever. Suddenly, he was yanked out of the trance and he collapsed for a second, gasping for breath a bit. The Crimson Dragon then said, "You have learned, Yusei Fudo. Join Ayumi Furukawa in the land of the living. See your friends once again." His body glowed bright before he found himself darting fast into the sky. And he knew now, he had the ability to do whatever he needed to do for the rest of his life.

Ayumi's eyes popped open and she looked around to see she was in a hospital room. She noticed an IV in her arm and saw her Mom sleeping in chair beside her, holding her hand. She looked outside to see the moon out but nearing disappearing with the sun up.

Ayumi slowly squeezed her hand, waking the woman up. The mother looked at Ayumi before wrapping her arms around her, nearly crying. "Ayumi…" she whispered. "You're awake…"

"Hi, Mommy," she greeted. "How long was I out?"

"Over three months," she answered.

"I… I thought it was only four days," Ayumi responded.

"Are you alright, Baby Girl?" her mother asked.

"Where's Daddy?" Ayumi asked. She shook her head. "I mean, Yusei."

"Yusei Fudo? I think he's a few rooms to the right," her mother asked. Ayumi scrambled a bit, yanking the IV out and began to run towards the room. "Ayumi! Ayumi, wait!"

Ayumi skidded to a halt by the door and opened it. She saw no one but a sitting up Yusei in there. He looked at her. "Ayumi?" he greed as she immediately jumped and locked her arms around him. "Hey, Ayumi!"

"Daddy…" she whispered.

Yusei chuckled a bit. "Not here, Ayumi. That'll get too many questions."

"You'll always be my new daddy, though," she responded.

"Ayumi, what has gotten into you?" came her mother's voice as she walked up.

"It's fine," Yusei told the girl's mother, as the daughter let go to look at her mother. "We can explain at a better time, but let's just say we had a bit of an adventure together in a Dreamscape sort of place."

"You can tell me now, if you want," Ms. Furukawa told him. "I'm not sure if I want to wait for this sort of thing." Ayumi and Yusei took turned explaining what happened after they both went into a near death state. The parent there seemed in shock, but seemed relieved as well. "I guess you both did have quite the journey then."

"I'm honestly surprised you believe us," Yusei responded.

"After those Earthbound Immortal things and those Yliaster guys, I'll believe anything at this point," Ms. Furukawa responded. "Besides, having a place to go to with others when they're at a near-death limit… it kind of makes sense in a way." Yusei and Ayumi nodded. "Yusei, I have to thank you for taking care of my daughter then while you were there. It's no wonder why she's seeing you as such a father figure now."

"Thanks, I think," Yusei responded. Ayumi smiled at him and he grinned back at her.

Ayumi hugged him again. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Of course, Ayumi," he responded hugging her back.

Ms. Furukawa couldn't help but smile. She felt kind of happy seeing Ayumi like this. And she had Yusei to thank for it. _'If it wasn't for Yusei, I don't think my little girl would be here anymore,'_ the mother thought as Ayumi pulled back and laughed as something Yusei had said.

"Think we'll go through something like that again, Yusei?" Ayumi asked.

"I hope not," he responded.

"Was that-?" came Jack's voice and they turned as the twins and others came running in.

They stopped when they noticed Yusei up. Crow broke the moment of silence saying, "About time you woke up!"

"Thanks, Crow," Yusei responded. "Try not to wake up the whole hospital, though."

Crow laughed. "Still the Yusei I remember."

"Who's the kid?" Jack asked.

"My name's Ayumi Furukawa," the girl answered for herself.

"How do you know her, Yusei?" Akiza asked.

"Long story," he responded.

"I'm not sure what you could've done to meet her while you were in a coma," Leo commented, looking the other way in wonder.

Yusei looked at Ayumi who nodded with a smile. He then looked at his friends. "You really want to know?" They nodded. "Alright. We'll explain it to you." Ms. Furukawa decided to go let the doctors know what happened to Ayumi and that they were both up. Meanwhile, Yusei and Ayumi told the tale over again, though they left the father figure part out.

When they finished, Crow asked, "That really happened?"

"I wouldn't believe it if I didn't experience it for myself," Yusei responded.

"How do you always manage to get yourself into those sort of things?" Jack commented while the twins and Ayumi laughed at the commented.

"I honestly have no idea," Yusei replied making all of them laugh.

Akiza then said, "As much as you seem the same, you seem a bit different too."

"Probably what I learned during the trials at the Mountain of Fate," Yusei responded.

"Well, it's good to see you passed those trials," Luna commented.

"Yeah!" Leo agreed. "I'm not sure what we would've done if you didn't make it."

"I'm happy about that, too," Ayumi stated. "For both of us!"

Yusei grinned at her and nodded. He was happy he was able to wake up. For his friends' sake, for Ayumi's, and for his. And he was awake now and he had a job to do. And he was determined to do it, no matter what it was or where it would take him.

 **bricann: Hey guys! That's the end of the Not the Same series. I hope our ending satisfied you and made you happy.**

 **ThePegasusDevice: No kidding! Review this and let us know what you thought. We would love to hear the feedback!**

 **bricann: Pegasus, I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help in writing this story. If it wasn't for you, I doubt I could've finished it. So thanks so much! I had a lot of fun!**

 **ThePegasusDevice: No problem! I had a lot of fun, too!**

 **bricann: Anyways, readers, we'll have to say our goodbyes for now until we write the next story. And I'm trying my best to keep up with my others as well. I have a lot on my plate from other stories to the upcoming life of college. But I'll keep writing for you guys!**

 **ThePegasusDevice: See ya, guys!**

 **bricann: Until next time!**


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